Australia: Pressure mounts to end NBN competition protection

A federal review of the National Broadband Network is reportedly calling for a breakup of the company and an end to the competition laws that protect the NBN from rivalry.

According to reports, the Coalition government’s panel that launched a probe of the NBN announced findings from the review that suggest NBN should divest its satellite, wireless and transit assets. The review also recommends amending parts o the Telecommunications Act and the Competition and Consumer Act that protect NBN from competition, say reports.

Such moves have been resisted by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. According to reports, several of the short-term recommendations made by the panel are not likely to culminate in the near future.

The review, reports say, was launched to examine the market power of NBN following concerns it would replace Telstra as Australia’s monopoly wholesale access provider. Critics of the proposed changes to NBN’s business model and the rules governing its operations say that those changes would inhibit the rollout of high-speed broadband to all Australians.

Full content: Business Spectator

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